Rethinking Future Studies in Tourism and Hospitality: Critical Insights and Paradigm Shifts for a New Era

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

The future of tourism and hospitality is increasingly shaped by a wide range of complex factors, including environmental concerns, technological disruptions, shifting consumer values, and growing social responsibilities. As the world undergoes rapid transformation, the need to rethink the foundations of tourism and hospitality has become more urgent than ever before.

Thus, this Topic invites scholars to critically examine how the future of the industry can be envisioned and shaped in ways that are more inclusive, ethical, and sustainable. It particularly encourages convergent and interdisciplinary perspectives that integrate insights from diverse domains such as sociology, environmental science, business, technology, cultural studies, and design.

Key areas of focus include not only the climate crisis and carbon neutrality but also the opportunities and challenges presented by emerging technologies such as AI and automation; the growing significance of ethical, value-driven consumption; and the increasing diversity of consumer needs and expectations in travel behavior.

This Topic also welcomes contributions that challenge and expand traditional tourism concepts, calling for interdisciplinary approaches that draw from fields such as sociology, philosophy, technology, business, and environmental studies.

As tourism continues to evolve, there is a clear need to explore how it can align more closely with ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles and contribute not only to economic growth but also to social inclusion, cultural sensitivity, and community well-being.

By rethinking the future through ecological, technological, ethical, social, and economic lenses, this Topic aims to inspire new paradigms and practices that will shape tourism and hospitality as a field, an industry, and a driver of positive change.

Topics of Interest

• Critical approaches to future studies in tourism and hospitality;
• Sustainable and regenerative tourism futures;
• Carbon-neutral tourism and climate-conscious strategies;
• AI, automation, and technology’s impact on tourism labor and experience;
• Interdisciplinarity and convergence;
• Ethical consumption and value-driven travel;
• Shifting consumer behaviors, values, and lifestyle trends;
• Interdisciplinary methodologies for future scenario planning;
• Tourism through ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) frameworks.

Prof. Dr. Yeong Gug Kim
Prof. Dr. Jellna Chung
Dr. Tulsi Paudel
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Administrative Sciences admsci	3.1	5.6	2011	27.7 Days	CHF 1600	Submit
Businesses businesses	-	-	2021	33.8 Days	CHF 1000	Submit
Societies societies	1.6	3.0	2011	34.4 Days	CHF 1400	Submit
Sustainability sustainability	3.3	7.7	2009	19.3 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
Tourism and Hospitality tourismhosp	-	3.7	2020	17.6 Days	CHF 1200	Submit

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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All Administrative Sciences Businesses Societies Sustainability Tourism and Hospitality

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20 pages, 323 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Didactic and Pedagogical Aspects of Tourism Training Programs in Portugal: Conceptual Analysis of Study Plans

by Gonçalo Maia Marques

Tour. Hosp. 2025, 6(3), 138; https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp6030138 (registering DOI) - 12 Jul 2025

Abstract

Higher education in tourism plays a pivotal role in the development of the tourism sector in Portugal—one of the country’s most vital economic pillars. In recent years, there has been growing interest in the adoption of innovative teaching methodologies by higher education institutions, [...] Read more.

Higher education in tourism plays a pivotal role in the development of the tourism sector in Portugal—one of the country’s most vital economic pillars. In recent years, there has been growing interest in the adoption of innovative teaching methodologies by higher education institutions, aiming to foster more dynamic and student-centered learning environments. This article analyzes, through a qualitative approach grounded in educational and social science research, the main pedagogical and didactic strategies employed in leading tourism programs across Portugal. Drawing on a content analysis of curricular unit descriptions and all relevant public pedagogical information available on official institutional websites, this study provides a critical overview of current didactic practices. Finally, the research reflects on the degree to which innovative teaching and research practices are integrated and discusses their alignment with recognized international standards and best practices. This study contributes to bridging a significant research gap by systematically linking pedagogical practice in Portuguese tourism programs with global educational standards. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Rethinking Future Studies in Tourism and Hospitality: Critical Insights and Paradigm Shifts for a New Era)

23 pages, 3053 KiB  

Open AccessReview

A Bibliometric Analysis of Service Quality in the Hospitality Industry (2014–2024)

by Olakunle Shakur Olawuyi and Carina Kleynhans

Adm. Sci. 2025, 15(6), 215; https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci15060215 - 30 May 2025

Viewed by 970

Abstract

Service quality is important for the survival of all businesses, including the hospitality business. Service quality can be measured by a model referred to as SERVQUAL, which comprises five parameters, namely, tangibility, reliability, assurance, empathy, and responsiveness. It is very important to examine [...] Read more.

Service quality is important for the survival of all businesses, including the hospitality business. Service quality can be measured by a model referred to as SERVQUAL, which comprises five parameters, namely, tangibility, reliability, assurance, empathy, and responsiveness. It is very important to examine publications to ascertain trends in service quality in the hospitality industry during the previous decade (2014–2024). Data were collected from the Scopus database, the article search having yielded 876 documents. The eligibility criteria were as follows: papers had to be published between 2014 and 2024, had to be written in English, and were restricted to articles, conference papers, book chapters, and review papers. The collected data were analyzed with the biblioshiny package in RStudio. The results revealed that the journal with the highest number of articles published during the period under study was Sustainability (Switzerland). Hong Kong Polytechnic was the institution with the highest number of publications vis-à-vis service quality in the hospitality industry, followed by Bina Nusantara University and Eastern Mediterranean University. It is notable that customer satisfaction featured prominently in different clusters, which emphasizes the fact that service quality is targeted at satisfying customers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Rethinking Future Studies in Tourism and Hospitality: Critical Insights and Paradigm Shifts for a New Era)

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